Panama Canal & Costa Rica Adventure

January 18-26, 2019

Join the Purdue President’s Council for a seven-night cruise aboard Windstar Cruises’ 148-guest sailing yacht the Wind Star, plus one night at the InterContinental Miramar Panama Hotel. Our itinerary is filled with natural wonders and a man-made marvel! We transit the Panama Canal, one of the world’s most stunning feats of engineering, explore the natural beauty of Costa Rican ports, and enjoy lectures and narration on the region by our naturalist on board.

Your participation supports

Ever True: The Campaign for Purdue University

A $50-per-person donation to the President’s Council Enrichment Fund is included in your package. Your tax-deductible donation allows the University to deliver higher education at the highest proven value by creating new scholarships, funding facilities, and supporting innovative programs.

All-Inclusive President’s Council Package Features:

• One night at the iconic InterContinental Miramar Panama Hotel, allowing for daytime flights and included transfers for all arrivals
• Exclusive President’s Council welcome breakfast and private tour to the impressive Miraflores Locks
• Seven-night adventure cruise aboard Windstar Cruises’ romantic four-masted sailing vessel Wind Star with a high crew-to-passenger ratio of 1 to 1.5, and only 148 guests
• $100-per-person onboard credit (WindSpa or Signature Shop, as well as for internet or laundry)
• Daylight narrated full transit of the Panama Canal, one of the world’s most amazing feats of engineering
• All-inclusive beach day at Isla Parida’s private cove to swim, kayak, enjoy a BBQ buffet lunch, and relax under palm trees
• Three exclusive President’s Council private shore excursions:
  • Gatun Monkey Expedition, aerial tram, and ecological exhibits
  • Dolphin watch cruise in the Osa Peninsula & Tropical Gardens
  • Rainforest walk and beach in Manuel Antonio National Park

Onboard the Wind Star:

• Purdue President’s Council Welcome Reception
• Open-seating dining in a choice of three dining venues – Veranda, AmphorA, and Candles – featuring fresh locally sourced ingredients, specialty dining under the stars, and 24-hour room service
• Signature Pool Deck Barbecue with an extensive gourmet buffet, live music, and entertainment
• All beverages including wine, beer, cordials, liqueurs, aperitifs, and cocktails, available in a choice of two bars – The Lounge and the Pool Bar – and an all-inclusive in-suite minibar, plus soft drinks, juices, specialty coffee, and bottled water
• Prepaid gratuities for ship housekeeping, bar, and dining staff
• Daily port talks and presentations from a Costa Rican naturalist
• Watersports platform with complimentary snorkeling equipment, kayaks, paddleboards, water trampoline, and more
• Relaxed and casual onboard ambiance, WindSpa, casino, lounge, library, pool, pool bar, and hot tub
• Purdue President’s Council and Global Tracks staff
• PLUS, exclusive for our President’s Council group, our package has the additional all-inclusive amenities of onboard laundry services and unlimited Wi-Fi internet!

President’s Council Guest Lecturer:

Purdue Civil Engineering Professor Antonio Bobet

We are excited to announce that Purdue Civil Engineering Professor Antonio Bobet will be onboard our Panama Canal Cruise, January 18–26, as the President’s Council’s special guest lecturer to share his unique canal insight and expertise!

Dr. Bobet was chosen to serve on the Geotechnical Advisory Board (GAB) for the Panama Canal during its recent $5.5 billion expansion to double its capacity. The project created a new lane of traffic along the canal by constructing a new set of locks, as we will see first-hand. He was a keynote lecturer at the 2012 International Engineering and Infrastructure Congress on the Panama Canal.

Dr. Bobet’s areas of interest include rock mechanics, underground structures, soil-structure interaction during seismic events, and problem soils. He is also a faculty member and co-investigator affiliated with the Resilient Extra-Terrestrial Habitats (RETH) program, an interdisciplinary team exploring safe, comfortable shelters for space pioneers on the moon or Mars.

Read more here

All-Inclusive President’s Council Package Itinerary:

Friday, January 18, 2019 | Depart/Arrive Panama City, Panama

Arrive anytime in Panama City at the Tocumen International Airport. You will be met and transferred to the InterContinental Miramar Panama Hotel.

Enjoy a relaxing day and evening at leisure.

Saturday, January 19, 2019 | Colón, Panama

Enjoy an exclusive President’s Council Welcome Breakfast before we depart via private transfer to the impressive Miraflores Locks. Our locally guided tour begins at the Miraflores Museum and Visitor Center, where we learn about the history of the canal, its significance for Panama, and its construction – a masterpiece of engineering! After viewing a short movie and visiting the four floors of exhibition halls containing engaging educational displays, watch the huge vessels pass by and see the operations as the ships are lifted or lowered. We continue our transfer to the pier to board the Windstar Cruises’ Wind Star.

We have lunch onboard and then time to relax, unpack, and get settled into our cabin. Join fellow travelers this evening for a Welcome Aboard Orientation followed by dinner.

Sunday, January 20, 2019 | Panama Canal Transit

During our 48-mile transit of the Panama Canal, you will enter three sets of locks that raise and lower the Wind Star 85 feet between the shimmering waters of the Atlantic and the calm Pacific Ocean. Our voyage features a narrated daylight transit with numerous observation points for outside viewing and comfortable, air-conditioned lounges for indoor viewing.

This evening join fellow travelers for an exclusive President’s Council Welcome Reception followed by dinner.

Monday, January 21, 2019 | Balboa, Panama

Balboa is a short distance from Panama City and is the port location on the Pacific side of the Panama Canal.

Exclusive President’s Council Shore Excursion: Gatun Lake Monkey Expedition, Aerial Tram Tour, and Historic Panama Tour
Our tour begins with a Gatun-Panama Canal Monkey Expedition boat journey that takes us into the heart of the canal and along the labyrinth of jungle-covered islands. With our naturalist guide we search for capuchin and howler monkeys, three-toed sloths, toucans, turtles, and more as we enjoy the sights and sounds of this fascinating ecosystem. Our jungle adventure continues with an aerial tram tour to experience the magic of the lush rainforest canopy high above the shadowy rainforest floor. From this unique birds’ eye perspective, our naturalist guide will spot wildlife and talk about Panama’s unique ecosystem, and you will enjoy the panoramic view from the Observation Tower.   Afterward, visit the animal and ecological exhibits including the Butterfly Farm, Frog Garden, Orchid Nursery, and Wildlife Rescue Center. These living laboratories acquaint us with the life cycle and habitat of some of the most interesting species in Central America.

On the return journey to Panama City, pass the former Panama Canal Zone, once occupied by American military installations, which hints at the strategic importance of the area. We enjoy a guided walking tour in the historic district of Panama City to appreciate the architecture, lovely colonial houses, the narrow roads, and the impressive churches.

Tuesday, January 22, 2019 | At Sea

Spend the day enjoying the onboard amenities of the Wind Star. Relax on a deck chair on the pool deck, soak in the hot tub, find a quiet corner to read, try the inventive cocktail of the day, or visit the spa! Take advantage of the ship’s open-bridge policy, which allows you to walk in and chat with the captain and officers on duty.

Wednesday, January 23, 2019 | Isla Parida, Panama

Today we enjoy an all-inclusive beach day on a secluded cove on lovely Isla Parida that boasts numerous hardwood trees like teak, mahogany, and eucalyptus, and fruit trees like mango, banana, and coconut. The day is yours to relax on a lounge chair under a palm tree, use the complimentary water sports equipment such as the kayaks, paddleboards, and snorkels, or swim in the crystal-clear waters that stay at 82 degrees year-round. We are treated to a delicious barbecue lunch buffet.

Thursday, January 24, 2019 | Puerto Jiménez, Costa Rica

Today the Wind Star is anchored in the Golfo Dulce with tender service into Puerto Jimenez.  Located on the southeastern tip of the Osa Peninsula, the town of Puerto Jimenez is only a couple of streets wide.

Exclusive President’s Council Shore Excursion: Dolphin Watch, Tropical Gardens, and Beach Scape
In our private boat, we cruise the warm blue water off the Osa Peninsula in search of large groups of dolphins, sea turtles, and manta rays.  Our naturalist guide provides commentary about the biology, behavior, and habits of the wildlife that are found here in one of the most biologically diverse marine habitats in the world. We stop to visit Casa Orquideas Botanical Gardens, a beautifully landscaped private tropical garden with hundreds of species of ornamental and edible tropical plants such as palms, heliconias, orchids, exotic fruit trees, spices, flowers, and medicinal plants.  Afterwards, we have free time to swim or take a walk along the beach.

Friday, January 25, 2019 | Quepos, Costa Rica

The town of Quepos is located on a tropical inlet where the rainforest meets the sea and is named for the native Quepo Indian tribe that inhabited the area in the colonial era.

Exclusive President’s Council Shore Excursion: Manuel Antonio National Park Nature Walk
Manuel Antonio is a fragile rainforest ecosystem that shelters a variety of tropical birds and wildlife including howler monkeys, sloths, coati, and iguanas. On a leisurely guided nature walk along the well-maintained trails, our naturalist guide will point out wildlife and provide educational commentary about the flora and fauna. The tour concludes with some free time at the beautiful remote beach.
Optional Afternoon Activity: Zip Line Adventure
Located just off the Central Pacific Coast near Manuel Antonio National Park and Quepos, El Santuario Canopy Adventure Tour, is the best zip line with the longest twin zip lines in all of Costa Rica and Central America. The exclusive President’s Council package includes the zip line adventure above the rainforest canopy with mountain, jungle and ocean views, led by experienced guides, included equipment, typical Costa Rican lunch, gratuities, and transportation. The canopy tour has over 3.6 kilometers of total zip line length on 10 lines, 14 tree platforms, 3 nature walks, 6 hanging bridges, a rappel secured by a top and bottom belay and air stairs.

Saturday, January 26, 2019 | Puerto Caldera – San Jose, Costa Rica / Depart

After breakfast onboard the ship, we disembark and transfer to the Juan Santamaría International (SJO) Airport in San Jose for our flight home.

All-Inclusive President’s Council Rates:

Rates INCLUDE port taxes of $459 per person

Double pricing is based on double occupancy or two people per stateroom
Single pricing is based on one person per stateroom and is capacity-controlled by Windstar and subject to change

Cancellation Schedule: Cancellation penalties apply once deposit is paid, so please review policy below.

Cruise-only rates available upon request.

Reservation Booking Terms and Conditions:

Required Deposit: $750 per person for double occupancy and $1,250 for single occupancy

Final Payment Date: October 15, 2018

Airfare is not included. Global Tracks will book your air arrangements for a $75 ticketing fee, or you may choose to handle your own reservation.

Passports: Passports are required for all guests and must be valid for six months after the end of the cruise.

Travel Insurance: Global Tracks offers optional travel insurance. Purchase within 15 days of deposit for additional benefits.

Cancellation Penalties: All cancellations must be made in writing to Global Tracks. Travel Insurance and Airfare are non-refundable once ticketed. Any payment to Global Tracks constitutes your acceptance of the Terms and Conditions set herein, including but not limited to the cancellation terms.